FACE OF HURDLING: Lolo Jones has brought a lot of attention to hurdling, but she will be facing a tough crop of U.S. hurdlers in the Olympic Trials.AP

EUGENE, Ore. — Lolo Jones has become such a phenomenon that despite not even attending yesterday’s press conference for the women’s 100 hurdles — the deepest and most competitive field at the Olympic trials — she dominated conversation more than she ever has an Olympic race. But in a sport that needs attention like a desert needs a deluge, that’s a good thing.

The U.S. hurdles corps is so strong, the trials may be tougher than the Olympics. A dozen of the top 17 runners in the world so far this year are American, but none has garnered headlines like Jones, 29, from falling on hard times as a child to falling in the 2008 Olympic final to her model looks that made last month’s admission of her still-intact virginity all the more surprising.

“If I come from an athlete’s standpoint, I’d say yeah she’s getting more attention than the reigning Olympic champion [Dawn Harper], she’s getting more attention than the U.S. champion [Kellie Wells], so I would say ‘Dang, what about the love for everybody else?’ ” hurdler Joanna Hayes said.

“There could be a whole lot of reasons why the media wants Lolo to get the attention,” she added. “You have to put that out of your mind and say I’m training; I’ve got to win. I’ve got to go out and do me. Lolo may or may not make the team, but I’ve got to make the team, so I can’t worry about it.’’

Hayes, who won Athens gold in 12.37 seconds, has an impressive tale herself, a 35-year-old mother coming out of retirement after giving birth to daughter Zoe on Dec. 11, 2010. Since starting training again in November with Bob Kersee she’s gotten down to 12.87; but it’s taken 12.6 to qualify in the last three Olympic trials.

Harper’s 12.65 is sixth in the world, and reigning U.S. champ Kellie Wells — healthy after tearing her hamstring in 2008 — is third-best at 12.55.

“As we get older, it’s not about all that, oh, her hair, this and that. It’s not about all that,’’ Wells said, regarding any resentment against Jones. “Media is media. She shows up, it’s the same thing as Floyd Mayweather, the same as Tim Tebow. They happen to really like Lolo, and that’s a good thing for the sport because track doesn’t get much press.’’

Wells isn’t the first to link Tebow with Jones, who holds the U.S. record at 12.43, but fell while leading the 2008 Olympic final. The Jets’ virginal quarterback has brought Gang Green back pages, and she’s brought attention to track, especially after an HBO interview where she talked about her dating troubles.

“If there’s virgins out there, I’m going to let them know, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life — harder than training for the Olympics, harder than graduating from college, has been to stay a virgin before marriage,’’ said Jones, whom Jets center Nick Mangold tried — unsuccessfully — to hook up with Tebow.

“thanks Nick but i actually heard tebow has a girlfriend he just isn’t saying it publicly. the search continues…,’’ tweeted Jones, who spent much of her childhood with her father in jail and part of her youth in the basement of a Salvation Army church. Today, she’s a social media phenomenon with almost 125,000 twitter followers and among the most recognizable faces in the sport.

“For the media, I get it: She’s got this face that people love, she’s got this story. And as a fan, it’s awesome: A girl who’s beautiful, she’s articulate, she’s a virgin, all these great things. I’d want to cheer for Lolo,’’ said Hayes. “[But] as an athlete I’ve got to do me. At the end of the day things are going to be what they’re going to be.’’